BATHROOM cleaners help remove dirt and grime – but can a budget bottle keep your taps and tiles sparkling?
Some sprays now cost as much as £4 which adds to your weekly shopping bill.
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So a cheap and effective alternative could really make a difference, saving you money in the long run.
Lynsey Hope tested a range of budget sprays, testing them against big brand Cif and Method, to see how they fared.
She found one supermarket own brand spray that did a great job at getting rid of soap scum and stains for less than £1.
Here’s what happened:
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Lidl W5 Bathroom Cleaner (750ml)
- 85p
- £1.13 per litre
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This Lidl cleaner had a pleasant smell but it was only really useful for a cursory once over.
It wasn’t great at getting rid of harder to scrub bathroom grime or limescale.
All of the packaging is recyclable and made from 100% recycled materials, plus the bottle is well filled, so that’s a plus.
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But the product does contain chemicals known to be toxic to aquatic life.
Even though it’s a good price, I didn’t rate it as a cleaner.
If you want a cheap option, the Tesco spray is cheaper and a better bet.
- Effectiveness: 3/10
- Value for money: 4/10
- Overall score: 3/10
Cif Power and Shine Bathroom Spray (700ml)
- £3
- £4.29 per litre
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As you may expect, Cif’s spray was excellent at removing bathroom grime.
It’s also made without substances known to be harmful to the environment and the packaging is recyclable so it’s a good eco choice.
It wasn’t the best at tackling limescale even though Cif claims it can remove 100% of limescale and soap scum.
Otherwise though, it’s a solid choice, but it is pricey costing £4.29 for one litre.
- Effectiveness: 8/10
- Value for money: 7/10
- Overall score: 8/10
Tesco AntiBac Bathroom Surface Cleaning Spray (750ml)
- 75p
- £1.13 per litre
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A great budget choice, this Tesco spray cuts through soap scum and did an excellent job at getting rid of general dirt and grime in the bathroom.
It wasn’t brilliant at tackling stubborn, limescale, you’ll need something stronger for that.
But for general everyday use, I thought it was a great, money-saving option.
The bottle could be better filled, but refills are available.
- Effectiveness: 10/10
- Value for money: 10/10
- Overall rating: 10/10
Bathroom Cleaner by Sainsbury’s (750ml)
- 85p
- £1.13 per litre
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The Sainsbury’s product works well when you get it out of the bottle.
But the nozzle doesn’t squirt properly and you end up with it dribbling down your arm.
With this one you are meant to leave for five minutes, then wipe away and it did a good job of cleaning both grime and harder to tackle limescale.
The scent is subtle but it does contain ingredients known to trigger allergies, so beware if you are sensitive.
- Effectiveness: 8/10
- Value for money: 7/10
- Overall score: 8/10
Method Bathroom Surface Cleaner (828ml)
- £4
- £4.83 per litre
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A fresh, minty cleaner from Method that was very effective at getting rid of icky grime and stains.
It’s all made with plant-based and biodegradable ingredients and the bottle, other than the trigger, is made from recycled plastic.
The bottle was well-filled too. Loved it.
The only downside is the price.
It’s four times more than many of the own brand products, so you are paying through the teeth for those eco credentials.
- Effectiveness: 10/10
- Value for money: 6/10
- Overall score: 7/10
Aldi Power Force Bathroom Cleaner (750ml)
- 85p
- £1.13 per litre
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Quicky and easy to use from Aldi, simply spray onto the surface and leave for five minutes to allow this product to disinfect before wiping it away with a damp cloth.
I liked this and found it to be effective on enamel sinks, baths, toilets and plugholes and it gave excellent results on chrome taps.
A quick and effective option, plus the bottle is made from recycled plastic.
It could have been better filled, but is still great value for money.
- Effectiveness: 9/10
- Value for money: 9/10
- Overall score: 9/10
Morrisons Anti-Bacterial Cleaner (750ml)
- 85p
- £1.13 per litre
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A pleasant spray from Morrisons with a strong citrussy scent.
It was pretty good at general cleaning and would be fine for kitchen surfaces too.
You have to spray and leave for five minutes in order for it to effectively kill viruses and it took a bit of scrubbing, but the results were reasonable.
Not bad for an all-rounder to have in the kitchen cupboard.
- Effectiveness: 6/10
- Value for money: 6/10
- Overall score: 6/10
Asda Bathroom Surface Cleaning Spray (500ml)
- 76p
- £1.52 per litre
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Found the nozzle a bit temperamental but otherwise, Asda’s did a great job.
It was quite powerful so you might want to open a window whilst cleaning if you are sensitive.
Taps and brown stains were easily removed and it did an ok job with limescale.
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It’s not the biggest bottle, which meant it wasn’t as good value for money as some others.
- Effectiveness: 7/10
- Value for money: 6/10
- Overall score: 7/10
How to save money on your supermarket shop
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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